Sanitary hammock.



N0. 633,l |l. T Patented Sept..l9, I899. A. M. BARTLETT.

SANITARY HAIIIOCK.

(Application filed Feb. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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INVENTOR 5w BY M/ATTORN E Y.

UNITED STATES ALICE M. BARTLETT, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SANITARY' HAMMOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,111, dated September 19, 1899.

Application filed February 16, 1899. Serial N0..705,658. (No model.)

To all whom it ncty concern:

Be it known that I, ALICE M. BARTLETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Hammocks, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to sanitary hammocks; and it consists in the devices and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

This invention comprises a hammock provided with an opening covered when not in use by a flap and provided with a stretcher, which also serves as a back and over which said flap maybe turned. Means are provided for holding the flap in either position and to secure the safety of the occupant when in a sitting position.

The device is intended, primarily, for small children and is adapted to enable them to answer the calls of nature without the constant attention of mothers and nurses.

The device may be used by the child either in a sitting or recumbent position.

The hammock is adapted to be attached when in use to a bed of ordinary size and to be swung from the head and foot of the bedstead or to be supported by any immovable walls or heavy furniture conveniently situated, a chamber vessel or other receptacle being placed upon the bed or upon a table or floor below the aperture of the hammock.

When not in use for the purpose above indicated, the hammock may be removed from its supports and may be rolled or folded and put away or may be used like an ordinary hammock after turning down the flap over said aperture.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an isometric perspective view of a bedstead and bed with my improved hammock supported on said bedstead; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a plan of the removable seat; Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3 of the seat; Fig. 5, a vertical transverse section of the hammock on the line 5 5 in Fig. 6; Fig. 6, a side elevation of a part of the hammock; Fig. 7, an inverted plan of a part of the hammock; Fig. '8, a head end elevation of said hammock.

A indicates a bedstead, B bedding, and C a pillow, all of usual construction.

The body or bed portion D of the hammock is a stout sheet of textile material, to which are attached suspendingcords d in the usual manner, the outer ends of said cords being for stability attached to rods 61', which may be secured to railsa a of the head and foot of the bedstead in any convenient manner, as by strings or tapes d tied about said rods (1 and said rails.

The hammock D is provided in the bottom or seat portion with an aperture 6F, and aseparate piece E, with corresponding aperture, Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 7, is fastened to said hammock by tapes e secured thereto and tied to other tapes d fastened to said hammock, so that the piece E may be removed from the hammock to be washed. Said aperture (1 both in the hammock and in the piece E, is reinforced about its edge at 6 cl, preferably by sheet-rubber or other Waterproof material, Fig. 4, which surrounds said aperture on both faces of the hammock and on both faces of the piece E, these reinforces being secured to said hammock and piece, respectively, by stitching in the manner indicated by the dotted line 6 in Fig. 3. The aperture (1 is kept in shape by a spring-wire or whalebone e bent into a circle, covered with cloth, and attached to the under side of the hammock D.

The flap F is secured at the upper end or end nearest the head of the bed in any convenient manner to the bottom of the hammock, as by stitching. To the other end of said flap F are attached two straps f, Figs. 6, 7, and 8, provided with loops f, and these straps when the flap covers the aperture d are passed through slits 01 also Figs. 1 and 2, in the hammock, and said loops are engaged by hooks d on other straps d secured to the under side of 'said hammock to hold the flap smoothly in place.

A stretcher H, represented as a semicircular board, serves as a back for the child when in a sitting position and prevents the sides of the hammock from coming together. Tapes or strings h are secured to. the stretcher H and being passed through holes or eyes (1 in the hammock and tied hold the stretcher in a vertical position and prevent its displacement.

XVhen the aperture (1 is uncovered, the flap is turned back over the stretcher and the loops of the strap fare engaged by the hooks of other straps d secured to the upper surface of the hammock, as shown in Fig. 8, the straps (1 being just like the straps (1 above described. The flap when in the position last named is held out of the way and serves to some extent to form a cushion for the back of the occupant.

A chamber vessel G or other suitable receptacle is placed upon the bed or upon a table or floor below the aperture (Z when necessary.

The outer suspending-cords (P, Fig. l, are of a suitable length, and are arranged at a suitable distance from the next adjacent suspending-cords to hold the side edge portions of the hammock in a nearly horizontal position to form guards d for the safety of the child when the child is sitting up, and these guards may, if desired, be of greater thickness orstiffness than the part of said hammock between said guards to enable the guards to hold their proper position. The guards prevent the head of the child from getting over the edge of the hammock and causing the child to fall therefrom.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the hammock provided with an aperture and with slits, a flap, secured at one end to said hammock and adapted to cover said aperture, straps, secured to the unattached end of said flap and adapted to pass through said slits, and other straps, secured to the under side of said hammock and adapted to engage said first-named straps, to hold said flap over said aperture.

2. The combination of the hammock provided with an aperture and with slits, a flap, secured at one end to said hammock and adapted to cover said aperture, straps, seeu red to the unattached end of said flap and adapted to pass through said slits, and other straps, secured to the upper side of said hammock and adapted to engage said first-named straps, to hold said flap in place when said aperture is uncovered.

3. The combination of the hammock, having an aperture, a stretcher, removably secured in said hammock, a flap, attached at one end to said hammock, straps, secured to the unattached end of said flap, and other straps, secured to the upper side of said hammock on the opposite side of said stretcher from said aperture and adapted to engage saidfirst-named straps, to hold said flap over said stretcher.

4. The combination of a hammock provided with holes, a stretcher, arranged in said hammock, and strings or tapes, attached to said stretcher and adapted to pass through said holes and to be tied on the outside of said hammock, to retain said stretcher in place in said hammock. V

5. A sanitary hammock, provided with an aperture and with a reinforce, for the edge of said aperture, of flexible waterproof material, surrounding said aperture on both faces of said hammock.

6. A sanitary hammock provided with. a removable piece having an aperture and with a reinforce, for the edge of said aperture, consisting of a single piece of flexible Waterproof material, surrounding said aperture on both faces of said removable piece.

7. A sanitary hammock, provided with a removable seat-piece, having an aperture, and with a reinforce, for the edge of said aperture of flexible, waterproof material, and with a stiffener, surrounding said aperture and arranged below and secured to the under side of said hammock.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALICE M. BARTLE"".

\Vitnesses:

ALBERT M. l\lOORE, GRAcE E. HIBBERT. 

